Ryan Lance, CEO of oil giant ConocoPhillips, issued a dire warning to colleagues at an energy conference earlier this month. According to Lance, “misinformation and fear” could easily derail the current financial boom that is taking place within the shale gas industry.

Industry groups contend that concerns about fracking have been badly overstated and say the method is safe.

Lance accused critics of “creating fear” and touted steps he said the industry is taking on water conservation, disclosure of chemicals and other areas.

To address Lance’s first claim (fear and misinformation), the only misinformation being pushed out related to the safety of fracking is coming from the industry. The best available research tells us that natural gas fracking activities have been linked to increased seismic activity, groundwater pollution, and abnormally higher concentrations of air pollution near fracking well sites. The full list of dangers from fracking can be found in DeSmogBlog’s “Fracking The Future” report.

But focusing on Lance’s claim that “misinformation and fear” are thwarting fracking operations misses another important statement from the CEO. He also said that he and his colleagues in the industry are taking the initiative in being more transparent in disclosing the chemical cocktails being injected into the ground, as well as improvements in “other areas.”

Conoco’s history goes far beyond fighting disclosure. They have also been a heavy hitter in Washington when it comes to lobbying against oversight of fracking operations. According to Polluter Watch, ConocoPhillips has spent $69 million on lobbying efforts over the last 5 years, and poured an additional $2 million into direct political campaign donations. Polluter Watch also notes that the company is ranked #11 on the list of worst polluters in the country.

The oil giant also worked alongside other dirty energy companies like BP to lobby against any form of EPA oversight for fracking companies.

If the industry, and people like Ryan Lance, wish to be taken seriously, they need to admit to the reality that no form of fossil fuel, especially fuel obtained from fracking, comes without significant health and environmental threats.

Previous Comments

The fact is that the industry contends that the technology is completely safe and there are no problems.

The reality is that its not completely safe. There is a failure rate. In the industry, we know this is true.

There is more than enough evidence that water wells are getting polluted with industrial man made chemicals.

The industry has closed ranks hiding numbers or hiding behind front groups like CAPP which are increasingly becoming political.

The net result is that evironmental groups are presenting information which is true and paints the oil companies in an increasingly negative light. The harder the oil companies dig in, the worse they look.

What really needs to happen is for this industry to be regulated by an arms length government organization that is capable of gathering statistics and sharing facts.

Many people are affected by the decisions to frack. Right now, they get zero information from the industry. They need to be able to make informed decisions like how often are people affected by fracking failures? How are the issues delt with?

In the mean time I would ask Ryan Lance to sit down and have a sip of Food Grade Fracking Fluid while he ponders his options. If Haliburton can do it, so can he. I would then ask him to explain why such fluids were created. I would ask him why the other 500 some odd chemicals are not food grade.

Carol Linnette was predicting exactly this just 2 months ago or so. Canadian citizens must pay out of pocket for foreign complaints about provincial environmental laws, that the Federal government did not write.

Not sure Bob. My guess there's no new developments right at the moment. Ernst is trying to get the case moved to Drumheller, closer to her home, and closer to the source of her claim. Drumheller is also away from the tall towers and influence of Big Oil in Calgary. At the last hearing in Calgary about 70 people from rural Alberta packed the courthouse.

You can follow developments of the law suit on Jessica's website here:

Democracy is utterly dependent upon an electorate that is accurately informed. In promoting climate change denial (and often denying their responsibility for doing so) industry has done more than endanger the environment. It has undermined democracy.

There is a vast difference between putting forth a point of view, honestly held, and intentionally sowing the seeds of confusion. Free speech does not include the right to deceive. Deception is not a point of view. And the right to disagree does not include a right to intentionally subvert the public awareness.

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In 2010, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched an ambitious and highly consequential study of the risks that hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, poses to American drinking water supplies.

“This is about using the best possible science to do what the American people expect the EPA to do – ensure that the health of their communities and families are protected,” Paul Anastas, Assistant Administrator for the agency's Office of Research and Development,...